Rugby World Cup Champion Kitshoff Reveals Near-Fatal Injury

South Africa and Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff, a two-time World Cup champion in 2019 and 2023, has disclosed that a neck injury suffered during a scrum earlier this year brought him “two millimetres from death.” The 32-year-old athlete, who played for Irish province Ulster during the 2023-24 season, initially failed to comprehend the seriousness of the injury he incurred in a Currie Cup fixture for Western Province against Griquas in September. He underwent surgery for the injury last month and anticipates an extended period of recuperation prior to his return to active play. Speaking to Rapport newspaper, Kitshoff recounted, “It was just another scrum, then three cracking noises – pop, pop, pop.” He continued, “I kept playing, thinking it was a pulled muscle. But now I know, I was two millimetres away from catastrophe, from death.” He further added, “The first thing the specialist said to me was ‘listen, you’re lucky we didn’t bury you in a week’, because the vertebra that shifted is so close to my brain canal.” Kitshoff’s latest Test match for South Africa occurred in the World Cup final against New Zealand last year; however, he remains optimistic about increasing his tally of 83 international caps. He further stated, “Without the operation, I’d never play rugby again.” He expressed his determination, “If my neck holds up, I’m going for it. If I have to retire, I’ll be satisfied but I’m not done yet. I’ve always been a warrior for my team.” He concluded, “Rugby’s a dangerous sport, but I’ll give my all because I’m fighting for my team.”